Furnace wall



B. H. SNOW FURNACE WALL April 17, 1934.

Filed May 25, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l iilllw l I INVETOR W 4 flQATTORNEY.

April 17, 1934-. B H SNOW 1,955,700

FURNACE WALL Filed May 25, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 IhQLENTOR 64; ATTORNEY.;

A fil 17, 1934; B. H. SNOW 1,955,700

FURNACE WALL Filed May 23, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 17, 1934. i B. H. SNOW 1,955,700

' FURNACE 'WALL Filed May 23; 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CKLATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES FURNACE wALL Benjamin H. Snow, Melrose, Mass., as'signor to Bernitz Furnace Appliance Company, Boston, .Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 23, 1931, Serial No. 539,442

13 Claims.

This invention relates to furnace walls. While not limited thereto it is especially concerned with L walls of the general type known as water walls.

Such walls usually includes a front wall section comprising tubes carrying water, steam. or other fluid with refractory blocks or bricks so associated with the tubes as to protect them at the fire side of the wall, and a rear wall section located behind the tubes and designed primarily for insulating purposes and to prevent any substantial leakage of air through the wall and into the combustion chamber.

The present invention deals especially with the construction of the front sections and linings of furnace walls. It aims to improve these structures with a view to facilitating the erection and repair of them, reducing the cost of these installations, and at the same time providing an exceptionally satisfactory wall. The invention involves a novel wall, new constructions of refractory blocks, and a novel tube adapted especially for use in these walls.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a small section of a furnace wall constructed in accordance with this invention; a

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the portion of the wall shown in Fig. 1;

3 is a horizontal-sectional view approximately on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a slightly difierent embodiment of the lnventio Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the blocks or bricks in the wall section shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; I

Fig. '7 is a. similar view of one of the bricks in the wall section shown in Fig. 4;

A Fig. 8 is a perspective. view showing a small Fig. 12 is a rear elevation of a wall embodying the invention in still another form;'

Fig. 13 is a horizontal, sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 12;

Fig.'14 is a side view of the construction shown in Fig. 12; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the blocks or bricks used in the wall shown in Figs. 12

and 13. 1

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the construction there shown comprises a series of tubes -2 usually located in an approximately upright position and adapted to conduct water, steam, or other fluid. Associated with these tubes-and protecting them at the fire side of the wall is a series of 7(D blocks 3 which may be made of silicon carbide, clay, or even of some highly refractory metal, silicon carbide, however, being the preferred material. These blocks are positioned in approximately abutting relationship to each other so that collectively they form a continuous section of the facing or lining of the wall. a

In the particular construction shown the tubes 2 form the supports for the refractory blocks 3 and a unique feature of this wall is that each block is individually supported on its respective tube and is independent, so far as support is concerned, of adjacent blocks in-the facing. For this purpose each tube 2 has a series of lugs 4 welded thereto, the lugs being arranged in pairs and the individuals of each pair projecting in approximately diametrically opposite directions from each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Pairs of these lugs are spaced longitudinally of each tube and the individual lugs are located in vertical alinement with each other. These lugs may conveniently take the shape of small plates, and when given this form they are located in an inclined position with reference to the axis of the tube as shown in Fig. 5, the two lugs of each pair being located in approximately the same inclined plane.

The blocks 3 are shaped to straddle the respective'tubes on which they are supported, as best shown in Fig. 3. It will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 6 that each block includes 100 a front section or facing portion a adapted to lie mainly in front of the tube2 and to protect the tube at the fire side of the wall, the front surface of each block forming a small portion of the fire face of thewall. Each of these blocks also in- 105 eludes an extension which projects rearwardly from the face portion a and the rear side of the block is grooved vertically, as shown at b, Fig. 6, so that the rearward extension is, in this case, divided into flange-like sections 0. Each of these 110 sections is notched transversely, as shown at d, and the upper wall of the notch is inclined at an angle corresponding to that of the lugs 4. Consequently, when one of the blocks d is placed on a tube with the lugs 4-4 entered in the notches dd and the upper walls of thesenotches resting on the lugs, the block is held firmly to the tube by its own weight. It is, in effect, suspended on the lugs and the shape of the contact surfaces of the blocks with the lugs is such that the force of gravity tends to urge the blocks into firm contact with the supporting tube.

Each block thus is supported individually on its respective tube and-independently of its neigh-' bors. Preferably the blocks are spaced slightly from each other so that each block may expand and contract independently of the next adjacent block. If desired, the blocks may be made to overlap each other or may be given a tongue and groove construction, both of these arrangements being common in this art.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is substantially like that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that the blocks 5 instead of being shaped to straddle the tubes 2' are shaped as shown in Fig. 7 so that a part of each block will fit between two adjacent tubes; This block has the same essential parts including a face portion a, rearward extension 0' and transverse notch d, but it is vertically grooved at b'b' so as to fit between and partly around two adjacent tubes. A block of this shape a can be substituted for the block a and is so shown in Fig. 4, the lugs 4 of adjacent tubes entering opposite sides of the notch d and cooperating with the inclined upper wall of this notch to hold the blocks 5 against the tubes exactly as do the corresponding parts in the construction previously described.

These blocks 3 and 5 can also be used with tubes equipped with other forms of lugs and such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. In this construction the lugs 6 consist simply of round pins welded to the tubes and performing essentially the same functions as do the lugs 4.

The lugs may be secured to the tubes in any convenient manner. I prefer, however, to weld them to the tubes, the lugs being properly positioned on the tubes in a suitable-jig or fixture during the welding operation. Preferably the jig or fixture is so arranged that it will position a plurality of pairs of lugs simultaneously so that the spacing of the lugs longitudinally of the tube will be accurate.

If curved sections of the tube are to be protected with refractory blocks it will be found necessary, where the curvature is great, to use a special block shaped to conform approximately to the curvature of the tubes. Special blocks designed for this purpose are shown in Fig. 5 at 7 and 8. These blocks are like those shown in Fig. 6 except that they are curved, as above mentioned, and also are fastened to" the tubes differently. That is, the rearwardlyextending flanges c" of each block which are located at opposite sides of the tube are provided near the upper end of the block with L-shaped notches or slots 9 to re ceive lugs 10, which in this case consist simply of round pins like the lugs 6. These extensions c" are also slotted near the lower end of the block, as shown at 12, to receive pins 18 so that the block is removably fastened to the tube at both ends.

The invention also may be used in locomotive boiler furnaces, and one arrangement suitable ferring to Fig. 9 the side wall sheet 15 of the furnace is shown equipped with upright flanges 1616 which are spaced apart by suitable distances. Each flange carries a series of lugs 1'1 similar to the lugs 4 and is also provided with additional and narrower lugs 18 spaced vertically from the respective lugs 17. These lugs are designed to support a series of blocks, one of which is shown at 20 in Figs. 9 and 10. It will be observed that this block is grooved at opposite sides to fit between the supporting flanges 16'16 and also has a face portion positioned in front of said flanges and serving to protect them. Notches d" are formed in the opposite sides of the block to receive the lugs 17, the upper sur faces of these notches being inclined rearwardly so that the blocks tend to gravitate backwardly into contact with the supports 1616 and are held by gravityin their operative positions. In this construction also each block has a slot e formed in each side thereof and open at the lower end of the block, these slots being adapted to receive the positioning lugs 1818. In this arrangement, therefore, each block is supportedat both ends.

It will be understood that a series of theseblocks 20 will be arranged in abutting relationship as tect both the supports 16 and the side sheet 15. No attempt has been made to show the stay bolts which usually are provided to hold the side sheet in place.

It is contemplated that in any of these wall constructions the refractory blocks may be arranged in panels or in horizontally extending sections which can be separated from each other by removable filler blocks supported, for example, on the upper ends of the topmost roll of refractory blocks. These filler blocks may simply be held in place by gravity, the top row of blocks having rearwardly inclined surfaces on which the filler blocks rest and the lower surfaces of the filler blocks being correspondingly inclined. An arrangement similar to this has been used heretofore with blocks of other constructions.

Still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive. In this form of the invention the lugs 25 are arranged as in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 but each lug lies in a plane extending axially of the tube and its upper surface is rounded and is inclined toward the tube, as clearly shown in the drawings. The refractory blocks 26 are hooked on the lugs, as in the constructions above described, but each block covers only half the area of the tube which is covered, for example, by the block 3 shown in Fig. 6. In other words, the

block 26 is similar to the block 3 if the latter block ing. In this case, however, a single lug only is required to support each block.

It will be clear that in all of these constructidns the blocks are supported solely by the tubes and each block is individually supported. This arrangement greatly simplifies the construction for this purpose is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Reof the front section or facing of the wall and it this part of the wall. In addition it facilitates repair since the facing is supported entirely independently of the rear section of the wall so that repairs can be made without disturbing the rear wall section and while working solely from the fire face of the wall. In order to remove and replace any block it is simply necessary to remove the filler block in the line of blocks immediately broken block and replace those above it. r

While I have herein shown and described typical embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit of scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In a furnace wall, the combination with a tube having a lug integral therewith, and a refractory block for protecting a part of the surface of the tube, said block and lug having cooperating surfaces to cause the block to, slide by gravity against the tube.

2. In a furnace wall, the combination with a Lube provided with an integral lug, and a refractory block to engage said lug and shaped to fit partly around said tube to protect the tube, said lug and brick having engaging surfaces, one of which is inclined, to cause the block to gravitate into contact with the tube.

3. In a furnace wall, the combination with a tube having an integral iug provided with a supporting surface inclined toward the tube, and a refractory block having a part for engaging said inclined surface of the lug and cooperating there'- with to gravitate into contact' with the tube, said block being grooved to fit against the tube.

4. A refractory block for furnace wall linings comprising a face portion adapted to be exposed at the fire side of the wall, and an extension integral with said face portion and projecting rearwardly therefrom, the rearward side of said block being grooved vertically and centrally to fit against a support and to divide said extension into two upright sections, said sections having notches formed transversely in them-to engage supporting lugs, and the upper surfaces of said notches being inclined to cause the block to gravitate on said lugs into engagement with the support for the block.

5. A refractory block for furnace wall linings comprising a face portion adapted to be exposed at the fire side of the wall, and an extension integral with said face portion and projecting rearwardly therefrom, the rearward side of said block' being grooved vertically, said extension having .a

' transverse notch formed therein to engage a sup-;

porting log, and theupper surface of said notch being inclined to cause said block to slide under' the influence of gravity into contact with its support I 6AA tube for furnaces, boilers, and'the like,

having block supportinglugs integral therewith, the upper surfaces of said lugs being inclined at an angle tothe axis of said tube;

'1. A tube for furnaces, boilers, and the like,

having block supporting lugs integral therewith,

aseries of refractory blocks located in approximately abutting relationshipand forming a section of the fire face of the wall, tubes protected by said blocks and forming supports for the blocks, and lugs rigid with said tubes and on which said blocks are hooked, whereby said lugs serve to hold said blocks individually and releasably to the tubes and in their operative positions in the'wall, the contacting faces of. said lugs and blocks bein shaped to cause each block to gravitate into contact with its respective tube. v

10. A refractory block for furnace wall linings comprising a face portion adapted to be exposed at the fire side of the wall, and an extension integral with said face portion and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said extension having a groove .by said blocks and forming supports for the blocks,

and lugs rigid with said tubes and on which said blocks are hooked, said lugs serving to hold said blocks individually and releasably to the tubes and in their operative positions in the wall, said blocks being grooved to fit snugly against the sides of said tubes toward the combustion chamber, and

the contacting faces of said lugs and said blocks being shaped to cause the blocks to gravitate in directions serving to hold the grooved faces of the blocks in contact with the rounded surfaces of the tubes.

'12. A refractory block for furnace walllinings comprising a face portion adapted to be exposed at the fire side of the wall, and anextension integral with said face portion and projecting rearwardly therefrom, the Opposite side edges of said block being grooved vertically to fit against supports and said extension having notches extending laterally into it at opposite sides thereof to engage supporting lugs, the upper surfaces of said notches being inclined to cause the block to slide on its supporting lugstoward said support.

13. A tube for furnaces, boilers, and the like,

having block supportihg lugs integral therewith tube, the upper surfaces of said lugs being inclined relatively to the axis of the tube, and the pairs being spaced longitudinally of the tube to support refractory blocks on the tube in protectiverelationship thereto.

BENJAMIN 11;" snow.

CERTIFICATE oncoRREcnoN. PatentNo. 1,955,700. v I I Q I April 17, 1934;

V BENJA MIN H. snow, It is hereby} certified that error appears the printed specification of the above numbered patentrequiring correction as follows: Page 3, after linel4l,

insert the following as claim i4:

14. A tubeior furnaces, boilers, and the like, having block supporting lugs integral therewith and spaced longitudinally of the tube, each of said lugs having an upper surface including a downwardly extending portion,

And that 'the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and Sealed this 15th day of May, A. D. 1934. v p

Bryan M. Pattey I Acting Commissioner oiPatents. 

